Internal-combustion engine sealing-ring holding-means



R. L. SKINNER INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE SEALING RING HOLDING MEANSFiled April 4, 1951 Nov. 3, 1931.

li ntented i iot, 3, 191351 PATEN litiuiiilrl-EEill FL, SKIN'HIE-R, Q1DETRQIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOH' T snrnnm @TQPS, ill l'fi, @325 DETROIT,MICGAN, A CORPORATION OF DELAWAhE Application filed April t,

in internal-combustion engines of the style comprising an exterior,ported cylinder, an interior, unported cylinder, inside of and spacedconcentrically slightly away from the encasing, outer cylinder, acylinder-head projecting down into the outer cylinder with a shallow,annular space between the two, a power-piston slidable in said innercylinder a split, expansible and contractible, ported o sealing-ringbearing endwise on the top of the inner cylinder which terminates belowthe inlet and exhaust ports of the outer cylinder, means in associationwith the cylinderheadand sealing-ring to seal or confine the 5 gaspressures in the combustion-chamber of the engine, arcuate orsubstantially semi-circular, ported valves sliding between the outercylinder on the one hand, and the inner cylin-' der, sealing-ring,hold-down ring and cylin; 9 der-head on the other hand, with suitablemeans for reciprocating the valves in proper manner, difliculty hasheretofore arisen in providing suitable and eficient means forpreventing turning of the sealing-ring, 5 which, if allowed to takeplace, would result in lack of the needed, proper and continuousregistration of its ports with those of the valves and those of theouter cylinder.

It has been suggested to employ a posi- 0 tioning or locatin pin mountedin the cylin-' der-head and pro ecting into a cavity or reces s in theinner surface of the sealing-ring, but such a combination of parts hasnot been found to be satisfactory, because the pin 5 necessarilypartakes of the more or less radical expansions and contractions of thecylinder-head which is subjected to high temperatures because it is indirect contact with the 0 101; explosion gases in the combustion-cham-Such a pin may bind on the margin of the ring recess or car on mayprogressively form in such cavity with the result, in either case, thata prohibitory or unallowable binding 5 action occurs between the ringand the one or more valves against which it presses outwardly.

The present invention is designed tofurnish convenient, suitable andsimple means for maintaining such sealing-ring in place shown, andterminating at its top end below Serial No. 527,6;653.

without the occurrence of any objectionable or detrimental results,

In the accompanying drawings, constitutin a part ofthis specification,and to which reterence should be had in connection with the followingdetailed description, a present, desirable or preferred embodiment ofthe invention has been illustrated, so that those skilled in this artmay have a full and complete understanding of the invention, both fromstructural and functional standpoints.

For simplicity, like reference numerals have been, employed to designatethe same parts throughout the'views of the drawings.

in the drawings Figure 1 is a fragmentary, vertical, central sectionthrough the upper ortion onl of one cylinder of a multi-cylin er internacombustion engine incorporating the invention;

Figure 2 is a ragmentary,vertical section on line 2-2 of Figure 1; a

Figure 3 is a fragmentary, horizontal section on line 33 of Figure 1;and

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the ported sealing-ring comprising apart of the engine structure.

Turning to the drawings, it will be pol? ceived that the engine includesthe already known, external or outer, water-jacketed cylinder 11 havingthe customary inlet and-exhaust ports 12 and 13, respectively, thecompanion, unported, inner cylinder 14 supported solely from below, bymeans not the specified ports of the outer cylinder, the power-piston 15reciprocating in such inner cylinder and which is connected to theengine oranli-shaft by the usual connecting-rod, neither of whlchhavebeen illustrated, the longitudinally-split, exp ansible andcontractible, ported sealin -ring 16 having a seat at its lower end on te top edge of the inner cylinder, such sealingring having a bridgedinlet-port 17 and an unbridged or unobstructed exhaust-port 18, whichare in register with the corresponding or companion admission anddischarge ports 12 and 13 of the outer cylinder, a continuous or'unsplithold-down ring 19 bearing directly on the top of the sealing-ring, aplurality or group of inclined,

nested, flexible reeds 21 appropriately mounted on the cylinder-head 22and bearing at their outer edges on the inner surface of the hold-downring, coiled springs 23 and their whole or divided ring 24 locatedbetween the cylinder head and the hold-down ring, and ported, arcuate 0rsemi-circular inlet and exhaust valves 25 and 26 having admission anddischarge ports 27 and 28 and located between, and slidable lengthwisebetween, the outer cylinder, in which they fit, and, on the inside, theinner cylinder, sealing-ring, hold down ring and cylinder-head, thesevalves being reciprocated in proper manner and in correct timed relationto the actuation of the other parts 'of the engine by means notdepicted.

The engine, so far as thus described, does not incorporate the presentinvention, but the latter will now be considered in detail.

To prevent the sealing-ring from turning around more or less and toinsure a constant, proper registration of its two ports with thecompanion ones of the outer cylinder, a pin or lug 29 is screwed intoand projects outwardly from an otherwise unapertured part of thesealing-ring between its inlet and exhaust ports, such pin extendingthrough an elongated space 81between the adjacent edges of the twovalves, each of which is cut away slightly at 32 to unitedly andconjointly provide the gap referred to, into a groove 83 cut in theinner surface of the outer cylinder wall lengthwise the latter from itstop end downwardly.

Inasmuch as groove 33 is provided in a water-cooled wall, the pin is notsubjected to such substantial changes in temperature as it mightotherwise be and the construction avoids mounting of the pin on thecylinder head, which, because it forms directly a wall of the enginecombustion-chamber, is subjccted to much higher temperatures.

This locating-pin is preferably out of contact with the sliding valves,thus avoiding the possibility of any binding action between the two, thepositioning or holding function being performed by the co-operation ofthe pin with the wall or walls of the cylinder groove.

It will be noted that the sealing-ring ports are not in the center ofthe ring, that is, they are not midway between its top and bottom, whichnecessitates that care be exercised in not getting the ring in placeupside down.

By limiting the length of groove 38 in proper manner and by locating thepin on the ring in a suitable way, the presence of the pin will preventthe operator from inserting the ring in the engine in a wrong manner,that is, upside down.

If properly introduced into the engine, the ring will seat on the innercylinder and the pin will occupy the lower portion of theengine-cylinder groove, but if it be attempted to insert the ring upsidedown, the pin will bear on the bottom end wall of the groove before thering reaches the inner cylinder, and it will be impossible to mount thecylinder-head properly since it cannot then be fully introduced into thecylinder, the ring being in the Way.

Thus the pin and its co-operating or companion groove perform this addedbeneficial function of precluding incorrect positioning of thesealing-ring in the structure.

Although I have shown the recessing of the approximate edges of the twovalves to supply the space for the reception of the locating or holdingpin, this construction being preferable because it minimizes thereduction in pressure sealing surface of the valves, it does notpreclude the recessing of one valve only to allow the positioning pin toextend through into the cylinder groove.

Obviously, by this novel and improved construction, I have avoided themounting of the ring-locating pin on the cylinder-head with its accruingdisadvantages.

Although I have shown and described only one particular embodiment ofthis invention, those acquainted with this art will understand that itis susceptible of a variety of embodiments, the scope of the inventionbeing defined by the appended claims.

ll claim:

1. The combination of an outer ported cylinder, a head for saidcylinder, an inner cylinder inside of and spaced away from said outercylinder, a piston slidable in said inner cylinder, means to seal thefluid pressures in said outer cylinder above said piston including anexpansible and contractible ported sealing-ring bearing endwise on theupper end of said inner cylinder with its portmeans in substantialregister with that of said outer cylinder, arcuate reciprocatoryvalve-means sliding between said outer cylinder on the one side and saidinner cylinder and sealing-ring on the other side. and positioning-lugand recess connection between said sealing-ring and outer cylinder toprevent the sealing-ring from turning.

2. The combination of an outer cylinder having inlet and dischargeports, a head for said cylinder, an inner cylinder inside of and spacedaway from said outer cylinder, a piston slidable in said inner cylinder,means to seal the fluid pressures in said outer cylinder above saidpiston including an expansible and contractible sealing-ring bearingendwise on the upper end of said inner cylinder and having inlet anddischarge ports in substantial. register with those of said outercylinder, arcuate reciprocatory inlet and discharge valves slidingbetween said outer cylinder on the one side and said inner cylinder andsealing-ring on the other side and adapted to open and close said ports,and a positioning-lug and recess connection between said sealing-ringand outer cylinder to prevent the sealing-ring from turning.

3. The combination of an outer ported cylinder, a head for saidcylinder, an inner cylinder inside of and spaced away from said outercylinder, a piston slidable in said in ner cylinder, means to seal thefluid pressures in said outer cylinder above said piston including anexpansible and contractible ported sealing-ring bearing endwise on theupper end of said inner cylinder with its port-means in substantialregister with that of said outer cylinder, arcuate reciprocatoryvalve-means sliding between said outer cylinder on the one side and saidinner cylinder and sealing-ring on the other side, and a positioning-lugon and projecting from the outer face of said sealing-ringv into arecess in the inner surface ot-said outer cylinder.

4. The combination of an outer cylinder having inlet and dischargeports, a head for said cylinder, an inner cylinder inside of and spacedaway from said outer cylinder, a piston slidable in said inner cylinder,means to seal the fluid pressures in said outer cylinder above saidpiston including an expansible and contractible sealing-ring bearingendwise on the upper end of said inner cylinder and having inlet anddischarge ports in substantial register with those of said outercylinder, arcuate reciprocatory inlet and discharge valves slidingbetween said outer cylinder on the one side and said inner cylinder andsealing-ring on the other side and adapted to open and close said ports,and a positioning-lug on and projecting from the outer face of saidsealing-ring into a recess in the inner surface of said outer cylinder.

5. The combination of an outer ported cylinder, a head for-saidcylinder, an inner (ill cylinder inside of and spaced away from saidouter cylinder, a piston slidable in said inner cylinder, means to sealthe fluid pressures in said outer cylinder above said piston includingan expansible and contractible ported sealing-ring bearing endwise onthe upper end of said inner cylinder with its portmeans in substantialregister with that of said outer cylinder, arcuate reciprocatory valvemeans sliding between said outer cylinder on the one side and said innercylinder and sealing-ring on the other side, and a positioning-lug onand projecting from the outer face of said sealing-ring into a recess inthe inner surface of said outer cylinder, said valvemeans being cut awayto allow said lug to project therethrough into its co-operating recess.

6. Thecombination of an outer cylinder having inlet and discharge ports,a head for said cylinder, an inner cylinder inside of and spaced awayfrom said outer cylinder, a piston slidable in said inner cylinder,means of said outer cylinder, one at least of said valves being cut awayto allow said lug to project therethrough into said cylinder recess.

7. The combination of an outer cylinder having inlet and dischargeports, a head for said cylinder, an inner cylinder inside of and spacedaway from said outer cylinder, a piston slidable in said inner cylinder,means to seal the fluid pressures in said outer cylinder above saidpiston including an expansible and contractible sealing-ring bearingendwise on the upper end of said inner cylinder and having inlet anddischarge ports in substantial register with those of said outercylinder,

arcuate reciprocatory inlet and discharge valves sliding between saidouter cylinder on the one side and said inner cylinder and sealing-ringon the other side and opening and closing said ports, and apositioning-lug on and projecting from the outer face of saidsealing-ring into a recess in the inner surface of said outer cylinder,the adjacent edges of said valves being cut away for the accommodationof said lug.

' 8. The combination of an outer cylinder having inlet and dischargeports, a head for said cylinder, an inner cylinder inside of and spacedaway from said outer cylinder, a piston slidable in said inner cylinder,means to seal the fluid pressures in said outer cylinder above saidpiston including an expansible and contractible sealing-ring bearingendwise on the upper end of said inner cylinder and having inlet anddischarge ports in substan tial register with those of said outercylinder, arcuate reciprocatory valve-means sliding between said outercylinder on the one side and said inner cylinder and sealing-ring on theother side and opening and closing said ports, the ports of saidsealing-ring being located nearer one end thereof than the op-' positeend, said cylinder having a longitudinal groove in its inner surfaceextending downwardly from its upper end, and a lug on I and projectingfrom the outer face of said sealing-ring into said cylinder groove, thelength of said groove and the location of said lug on said sealing-ringpermitting the sealing-ring to seat on the upper end of said innercylinder only when the sealing-ring ports 41.. resale"? are insubstantial register with the corresponding outer cylinder orts.

9. The combination an outer cylinder having inlet and discharge ports, ahead for said cylinder, an inner cylinder inside of,

spaced inwardly away from, and terminating below the ports of, saidouter cylinder, a piston slidable in said inner cylinder, means to sealthe fluid pressures in said outer cylinder above said piston includingan expansible and contractible sealing-ring bearing endwise on the upperend of said inner cylinder and having inlet and discharge ports'insubstantial register with those of said outer cylinder, the ports ofsaid sealing-ring being nearer one end thereof than the opposite end,substantially semi-circular reciprocatory inlet and discharge valvessliding between said outer cylinder on the one side and said innercylinder and sealing-ring on the other side and opening and closing saidports, said cylinder having a longitudinal groove in its inner surfaceextending downwardly from its upper end, and a positioning-lug on andprojecting from the outer face of said sealing-ring into said cylindergroove, the length of said groove and the location of said lug on saidsealing-ring permitting the sealing-ring to seat on the upper end ofsaid inner cylinder only when the sealing-ring ports are in substantialregister with the corresponding outer cylinder ports, the adjacent edgesof said two valves belng cut away for the accommodation of said lug. llnwitness whereof l have hereunto set my hand.

RALPH L. SKINNER.

